Method for the manufacture of christmas-tree ornaments and the like



Oct. 12 1926. 1,602,627

w. H. SCHNEIDER METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTUME OF CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS AND THE LIKE Original Filed March 14, 1925 3 T x C? INVEXTOR.

/ I l I 1 l I B3 4 IW WnQ ATTORNHS,

Patented Oct. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. scrnvnrnna, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AssIeNoR 'ro ARTHUR o.

. xoorz, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CHRISTMAS-TREE ORNAMENTS AND THE LIKE.

Original application filed March 14, 1925, Serial No. 15,483.

Divided and this application filed September 8, 1925. Serial No. 55,192.

This invention relates to improvements in methods for the manufacture of Christmas tree ornaments and the like.

It is one of the primary objects of this invention to provide a novel and improved means for uniting various articles to one or more objects having marginal flanges and to effect the connection economically and ornamentally. I

More particularly stated, the present invention contemplates the formation of convolutions in the margins of at least one of two members which are to be united, such convolutions having substantially parallel sides so that they may be nested together with other members having similar convolutions and subjected to pressure to collapse the convolutions. Nested convolutions will collapse to produce a kind of dovetailed joint which will securely hold together the two objects of which the margins are thus united.

Any number of objects may be simultaneously united in this manner and it is a further object of this invention to provide aconstruction and method making possible the union of more than two objects, at least one of which need not have a convoluted margin providing it has a portion receivable in a convolution of one of the other objects.

It is a further specific object of the invention to devise a method useful in uniting radially extending elements to asingle body or a plurality of bodies having their margins convoluted in the manner above Indicated. I i

This application is a division of a case heretofore filed by me on or about March 14th, 1925, Serial No. 15,483, and as disclosed therein, it is possible to employ the method forming the subject matter of the present application, not alone to produce Christmas tree ornaments, but also in the manufacture of devices suitable for use as shipping containers, novel ornamental fabrics and ornamental packages of a non-refi1lable character.

In the drawings: Y

Figure 1 represents in side elevation the several parts of a novel and improved Christmas tree ornament as assembled preparatory to their permanent interconnection.

Figure 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale in plan of a portion of the margin of one of the parts shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view on a greatly enlarged scale showing in section the character of joint or union produced in the practice of a method embodying this invention.

Figure 4 is a plan View of a die for use in the practice of this invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the die taken on line 55 of'Figure 4.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

Any two bodies, whether they are hollow like a bell, pyramid, or hemisphere, or whether one or both of them are disc-like in character may be interconnected rigidly and permanently by means of the method herein to be disclosed. Furthermore, a

third, or even more additional bodies may be simultaneously connected with the first two, and it is possible also to interpose radially extending elements in the nature of string or tinsel which thereupon becomes firmly engaged. By way of illustration, I have disclosed in the present application a pair of bells and an interposed disc, shown in Figure 1 ready to be interconnected, and in Figures 4 and 5 I have illustrated two hemispheres interconnected and arranged through their interconnection toretain a transversely extending cord. Various other possible structures which may be assembled in accordance avith this invention are described in the parent application above referred to by way of illustrating a few of the many possible combinations.

In all of the various constructions illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the union of two or more parts or bodies depends upon the formation of substantially square sided convolutions in the several parts or bodies and the subsequent flattening of the convolutions to fold the side walls thereof into clamping relation with each other and with the walls of adjacent convolutions, or with any other interposed element.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated a bell 15, and a similar bell 16. The two bells may be formed in the well understood manner from one or more of sheet metal, preferably aluminum, tin or copper foil or some other highly pliable substance such as paper, or the like. Any substance which is ductile and comparatively inelastic will prove very satisfactory for the purposes of this invention.

It will be noted that each of the bells 15 and 16 has been formed with radially extending flutings 17. The same dies which form the bodies of the bells are preferably constructed to form convolutions 18 in their margins. These convolutions lie in general in a common plane to which the vertical axis of the bell is normal. The vertical sides 19 of the convolutions are preferably substantially parallel. The more nearly parallel these side portions 19 can be made, the more uniform will be the resulting joint in the completed device. Preferably the upper surfaces 20 of the convolutions will extend into the valleys between adjacent flutings 17 of the body of the bell. There is a comparative excess of material in the valley portions of the convolutions which may be used to form the elevated portions 20 of the flutings with a minimum displacement of material during the stamping operation. This arrangement is very clearly brought out in Figure 2.

It will be understood, of course. that the convolutions of bell 15 are complementary to the convolutions of bell 16 so that the convoluted margins of the two bells may be nested together. The two bells may either be. directly united together or a re-enforcing disc or web 25 may be interposed in the manner suggested in Figures 1 and 3. If the disc 25 is used it will have formed in its margin by suitable dies or otherwise a set of convolutions 18 corresponding exactly with those already described. \Vhen the disc is used its convolutions will nest with the convolutions of the two bells upon either side of it.

After the convoluted margins of the several parts are in nested relation they are subjected to pressure in a direction tending to fiat-ten the convolutions which thereupon appear as shown in Figure 3. In practice the entire periphery of the bodies so joined will not be as regular as the illustration in Figure 3, although there will usually be parts of the periphery in which the flattenlng will occur to produce dovetailed or interlocked portions of practically perfect regularity. As is clearly shown in Figure 3, the side walls 19 of the two articles 15 and 16 have collapsed. Thereby the abutting upper surfaces 20 of adjacent convolutions are brought into close proximity and so likewise are the under surfaces 21 of each convolution brought into close proximity with the corresponding surfaces of convolutionsupon either side thereof. Due to the great pressure with which this operation is preferably performed and due to the inelasticity of the preferred materials for the articles thus joined, the result is a very rigid joint inherently re-enforced along radial lines and having great tensile strength, due to the multiplicity of points at which the two articles are interlocked.

The interlocking operation is preferably performed in a die similar to that shown in Figures 4t and 5. The die illustrated is one for joining hemispherical articles but it will of course be understood that the form of the articles to be joined is broadly immaterial. A base member 30 for the die is provided with an interior recess 31 in which a die plunger 32 is reciprocable. The plunger is provided with downwardly extending rods 33 which are spring supported as illustrated and tend to lift the plunger 32 to the limited extent to which movement is permitted by the spring seats 34:. lVhen the spring seats 34 contact with the adjacent under surface of the block or base 30 the upper surface 34 of plunger 32 will be in substantial registry with the flat surface 35 of the die block 30. The die block 30 and plunger 32 may conveniently be provided respectively with suitably positioned corresponding grooves 36 and 37 adapted to receive transverse cords or wires hereinafter to be described. A second die plunger 37 complementary to die plunger 32 is operated by a suitable connecting rod 38. The plunger 37 has a fiat surface 39 adapted to co-operate with the flat surface 34 of plunger 32 to compress convolutions or folds of material therebetween.

In practice the two bodies to be joined are placed with their convoluted margins in nested relation on die plunger 32, die plunger 37 being then elevate-d out of the way. Die plunger 37 is now lowered until its surface 30 contacts with the convolutions of the interposed bodies whereupon the flattening of the convolutions is commenced. When the resistance to this flattening operation develops to a sufficiently high degreethe yieldable plunger 32 is impelled downwardly within die block 30 and any surplus of material overhanging surface 35 of the die block is cut therefrom by the shearing action of the plunger 37 as it enters said block.

The downward movement of the plunger 32 has a further function of limiting the ini tial degree of pressure which it is possible to apply to the work. With different materials it may be found necessary to vary the compression of the springs which support plunger 32. It will be obvious that during the downward movement of the die plunger 37 toward the extreme position in which it is illustrated in Figure 5 the pressure upon the work cannot exceed the degree of compression exerted by the spring supporting plunger 32. Ultimately the nested convolutions may be subjected to heavy pressure to clench them in dovetailed relation as shown in Figure 3, but due to this arrangement for limiting the initial pressure to which the convolutions are subjected, time is afforded for the displacement of the metal or other material 'of the convolutions without exceeding the tensile strength of such material. In this way the operation may be performed successfully under conditions which might result in rupturing or tearing the material if the full pressure of the die were applied all at once.

.Vherever two bodies are joined by a flattened convolution of the character herein described it is possible to introduce between them a strand of cord, wire or tinsel. Irrespective of their specific character such strands will be designated herein by reference character 40. It will be noted that the forming die shown in Figures 4 and 5 is provided with grooves extending at right angles to each other and adapted to receive cords a0 and to protect such cords from being sheared during the operation of the die. This makes it possible to form spheres 41 which are constructed from hemispheres in the manner already described, the hemispheres being joined by interlocking convolutions in the form of a radial flange 42, each sphere having st ands l-O passing through it at right angles in two directions.

Most of the articles which may be joined in accordance with this invention are formed by z stamping operation and consequently by suitable n'iodifications ot' the die which perform the. stamping it is possible to form the several parts of these articles with substantially square sided convolutions in accordance with the disclosure herein. lVhere such (umvolutions are formed it requires but a single operation to complete the union of two or more parts with a very permanent and strong joint. Thus, the invention is suited not only for the manufacture of Christmas tree ornaments but also for the manufacture of shipping containers and packages for goodsof commerce. The invention lends itself to the construction of a wide variety of articles of distinctive form and appearance such as it would be difficult and impracticable to manufacture on a con'unercial scale by methods heretofore known. It will be apparent, therefore, that the objects of this invention are satisfied by the method herein disclosed.

I claim 1. The method of joining two articles, said method comprising the formation of marginally opening convolutions in adjacent portions of their respective margins, the nesting of the convolutions of one article within the convolutions of the other and the flattening of the nested convolutions where by to compress the convolutions of each within the convolutions of the other.

2. The method of joining two articles, said method comprising the formation of substantially square sided marginally opening convolutions in the marginal portion of one article and complementary convolutions in the corresponding marginal portion of the other article, the nesting of said complementary convolutions within the first mentioned convolutions and the compression of the nested convolutions whereby to flatten the sides thereof and to leave said convoliu tions in dovetailed relationship.

3. The method of joining two articles, said method comprising the forming of complementary substantially radial flanges provided with mating convolutions in corresponding marginal portion of said articles and the subsequent compression of said eonvolutions into mutually interlocking engagement.

4. The method of constructing a composite article comprising the separate for mation of the parts thereof to provide substantially radial flanges having complementary marginal convolutions, the juxtaposition of said flanges with their respective marginal convolutions in nested relation, and the subsequent compression of the nested convolutions whereby to flatten such convolutions in mutually interlocking engagement.

5. The method of connecting two hollow bodies having flutings extending to their margins and providing alternate ridge and valley portions, said method comprising the formation of marginal flanges and'each such body. provided with complementary convolutions of which the ridge and valley portions are in staggered relation to the ridge and valley portions of the fluti'ngs, the nesting of con'iplementary convolution-s in the marginal flanges of said bodies, and the flattening of the nested convolutions into interlocking relation. the flattened convolutions of each body being dovetailed with those 01 the other.

WILLIAM H. SCHNEIDER. 

